Fastest ISPs 2015: South Korea

Want speed? Get to South Korea. The world's most connected country offers a glimpse into what the future of super-fast ISPs could look like. But which ISP provides the country's (and therefore the world's) fastest Internet?

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High population density is another key factor behind Korea's super-fast ISPs. A mountainous terrain makes for a highly clustered population—83 percent of the country's residents live in urban areas. This highly concentrated population makes it easier and cheaper to build, maintain, and upgrade Korea's high-tech infrastructure.

SeoulIt's said in Italy that all roads lead to Rome, but that sentiment is taken to new extremes in South Korea. With a metropolitan area that is home to 25.6 million people (the second largest city population in the world, behind Tokyo, Japan) Seoul is more than just the capital of the nation. This mega-city is the beating heart at the center of South Korea's rapid rise. Roughly half of the nation's residents call Seoul home, and Korea's cultural, economic, and political institutions are all located within the city as well.

The sheer size of this market allows providers to yield maximum returns from their infrastructure investments, meaning competition for the loyalty of Seoulites is fierce. Of the five main telecom players that service Seoul, KT supplies the fastest connection, with a PCMag Speed Index clocking in at 105.3. CJ Hellovision, LG U+, Tbroad, and SK Broadband take spots two through five, respectively, though their speeds don't lag too far behind KT's—at least in the capital.

Seoul actually sees more than 10 times the Internet traffic of Incheon, which has the second largest Internet user population based on the number of tests we saw. But Seoul lands at No. 22 on our list of the 30 South Korean cities with the fastest Internet speed.

BusanIf all this has you ready to pack your bags for Seoul, the people of Busan are always eager to let foreigners know that there is more to the peninsula than its largest city. Busan is the Miami to Seoul's amalgamation of New York, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles, and the residents of this seaside metropolis are more than willing to let their northern neighbors compete in the rat race if it means more space for them on Busan's sunny beaches.

However, as the country's largest port, this city of 3.6 million still gets plenty of work done. The big players here are KT (which wins again with an index of 140.7), SK Broadband, and the rapidly expanding Tbroad network. In the bitter rivalry between the capital and the coast, residents of South Korea's second city can be proud that their city's average connection speed of 113.5 is good enough for fourth among South Korean cities, 17 places above Seoul.

IncheonIncheon has long been a center of international trade, and the opening of the award-winning Incheon International Airport has coincided with a revival of fortunes for this coastal city of 2.9 million just west of Seoul. Its successful stint as the host of the 2014 Asian Games raised the city's international profile, and its designation as a Free Economic Zone has attracted investment from across the globe.

The city's recent revitalization owes a great deal to its rebuilt infrastructure, and its improved Internet lines have led to blistering connection speeds. The three biggest players in Incheon are KT, SK Broadband, and LG U+. KT comes out ahead with an impressive PCMag Speed Index of 135.9. The competition is not far behind, though. The average connection score in Incheon comes in at 94.1, making it the 15th fastest in the country. Incheon is also getting the most out of its incredible network as the city logged more Internet traffic last year than Busan, despite its smaller size.

DaeguFormerly Korea's second largest city, Daegu is on a mission to restore pride via a number of infrastructure projects as part of its bid to bring growth back to the region. Like the rest of the country, Daegu has mind-bogglingly fast Internet. But unlike most major South Korean metropolitan areas, KT is not the top dog here.

We only had enough tests to include two of Daegu's providers. The title of fastest here goes to SK Broadband, whose 115.7 score only narrowly beats out KT's 107.6. As a city, Daegu ranks fourth in total Internet traffic, but comes in at 17th in overall average (index of 91.5).

DaejeonThe fifth largest city in South Korea is Daejeon, home to 1.5 million people and 18 universities. Though Daejeon has more universities than any other city outside of Seoul, the most prominent is the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). KAIST attracts Korea's brightest STEM students, and the presence of this prestigious university has helped Daejeon establish itself as a hotbed for technology and science careers.

The importance of the Internet for Daejeon's university students, scientific researchers, and high-tech workers is reflected in the emphasis that these institutions place on securing the best Internet connections possible. Though Daejeon has its own local outfit (CMB Daejeon Broadcasting Company) providing high-speed Internet at 59.6, the fastest connections in Daejeon again come from KT, with tests measuring its PCMag Speed Index at 112.8. SK Broadband comes in a distant second with a 81.3. Among Korean cities, Daejeon has the 12th fastest average Internet connection and was the seventh most trafficked in South Korea.

GwangjuThe largest city in Korea's southwestern region, the people of Gwangju are best known for their liberal political leanings, fierce regional pride, and (sometimes overzealous) habit of protesting. Having incubated two massive protest movements—one against Japanese colonialism and the other against North Korea's military dictatorship—Gwangju is home to nearly 1.5 million people, making it the sixth largest city in Korea. Like any liberal city worth its salt, Gwangju houses many prominent universities and during the school year a large portion of its residents are students.

A strong tradition of scholarship and the city's sense of civic pride have led to heavy investment in infrastructure to help the city avoid the stagnation that plagues many moderately sized Korean cities.

Unsurprisingly, KT again notches the best overall Internet speed of any provider, but its incredible PCMag Speed Index of 150.3 ranks as the best city score for any ISP we saw this year. SK Broadband lags far behind KT here, with its services in the city only earning it a PCMag score of 83.0. With a disparity this wide, it's no surprise that more than two-thirds of Gwangju's residents turn to KT for their Internet. Despite KT's outstanding showing here, Gwangju only ranks eight overall in average Internet speed among the cities of South Korea.

Conclusion

Following its decades of consistent investment in education and infrastructure, South Korea continues to reap the benefits of government policy designed to foster a competitive business environment. While internal critics may decry the oversize influence of the country's largest corporations, the cooperation of business and government entities has helped pull Korea out of the economic doldrums and transformed it into a tech innovator and an exporter of culture. The impressive Internet speed of South Korea's ISPs, in particular our big winner, KT, is an incredible reminder of just how far the country has come in the last 40 years and serves as an indication of what the future holds for South Korea. Perhaps Mandarin isn't the Asian language you ought to be learning.

Richard Nicholson is an Asia-Pacific based writer, publisher, technology evangelist and consultant. Originally from the UK his pursuits have seen him call home in a number of diverse places ranging from Europe, the US, India and currently South Korea, where he resides in Seoul. Firmly settled in Asia since 2008 he writes about a wide variety of topics centered on the region as well as holding down a day-job providing communications advice to some of the world’s leading tech companies.
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